Kanyakumari District - History

The area comprising the present Kanniakumari district was a part of the erstwhile Travancore state.
In 1835, when the state was divided in to Northern and Southern divisions , this area formed part of Southern
division and was placed in the charge of Dewan Peishkar, Kottayam. In July 1949, when the United States of Travancore
and Cochin was inaugurated, the present Kanniyakumari area continued to be a part of Trivandrum district of Kerala State.
The people of Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode Taluks, which formed the southern divisions
of the former Trivandrum District, were predominantly Tamil speaking. They agitated for the merger of this
area with Madras State. The States Reorganisation Commission also recommended this. Accordingly, the States
Reorganisation Act, 1956 was passed and the Kanyakumari District was formed on 1st November 1956 , with the
four Taluks, Viz., Agasteeswarem, Thovalai, Kalkulam and Vilavancode and merged with Tamil Nadu.
Thiru. R .Thirumalai I.A.S assumed charge as the first Collector of Kanniakumari District on 01.11.1956.